Dispenser for measured lengths of pressure sensitive tape



DISPENSER MEASURED LENGIHS E P m H s E FOR OF PRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPE 2 Shasta-Sheet l Filed Sept. 7, 1946 INVENTOR [ME/PEI? E. SH RP:

av 7 Claw v 64% ATTORNEYS E. E. SHARPE DISPENSER FOR MEASURED LENGTHS OF PRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPE Filed Sept. 7, 1946 INVENTOR 12' VE/PETTE S/MRPE adhesion roller.

Fatente Nov. 3@, i

SUREE) LENG'BEg @F NSI'E'WE TAPE Everett E. Sharpe, Shelton, N.

DESPENSER FGR PRESSURE SE h aesignor to Better Packages Incorporated, a corporation or New York Application September 7, 1948, Serial No. 695,422

6 (Ciaims. (Cl. en -a4) This invention relates to dispensers for adhesive tape and particularly to dispensers fornormaliy tacky or pressure sensitive adhesive tape which will adhere to whatever it is applied to without preliminary moistening, heating or other treatment. Tape of this character is commonly supplied in rolls, and a-eharacteristic of such rolls of tape is that each layer adheres to the layer beneath it so that some force is required to unwind the tape from the roll.

The present invention is particularly applicable to dispensers having a movable member such as a movable adhesion roller to which the tape adheres, which may be moved so as to unwind tape from the roll of tape by movement of a manually operated member, the length of tape withdrawn then being pulled out of the machine by the operator and cut on. One type of machine of this character is shown in the application of Theodore H. Krueger, Serial Number 683,866, filed July 16, 1946, and the example of the present invention illustrated in this application is particularly designed as an improvement on the dispenser of said application. While the dispenser of said application will dispense measured lengths of tape, difiiculty is sometimes experienced where the tape used has relatively low adhesive properties so that it can be pulled from the roll with the application of limited force or where the tape does not unwind evenly from the roll but unwinds in jerkyfashion. When the machine of said Krueger application is used with such tapes, more tape is sometimes pulled out by the operator than had been previously measured off by the movement of the movable adheslon when This is so because the resistance of unwinding the tape from the roll is relied upon to limit the length of tape dispensed to that which had been previously unwound from the roll by the measured movement of the adhesion roller. If the tape unwinds supply roll, however, the resistance to unwinding may not prevent the operator from pulling out more than the intended length. In accordance with the present invention, means are provided for positively limiting the amount of tape which can be dispensed to the length which had been measured off by the previous movement of the Thus the length of tape which can be dispensed at one operation of the machine is limited with certainty to the measured length, and possible overfeed and wastage are prevented.

In the accompanying drawings which show one form of the invention as applied to a machine of too easily from the,

portion being of a width sumcient the character shown in said Krneger application, Serial Number 683,886: 1

Fig; 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the dispenser with the parts shown which they occupy prior to dispensing a length of tape;

Fig. 2 is a view similar broken away and showing dispensing operation;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fla. second step of the dispe operation;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 showing in full lines the measured piece oi. tape drawn out and showing in dotted lines the piece of tape being cut ofi; and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view oi the dispenser taken on line'it 5 of Fig. 1. parts being broken away.

Referring to the drawings in detail:

The dispenser is shown as contained in a casing it. In the front of the casing is an opening it through which the tape is dispemed. Mounted in the casing is a tape roll 28 which may be the first step of the carried by a spindle or reel 22 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft as secured to a boss it formed on one side of the casing.

Pivotally mounted in the casing is a table beam 30. This is shown as fixed at its rear end to a bearing sleeve 32 which is pivotally mounted upon a pivot pin to fixed in rear end thereof.

The beam St? is and comprises a vertical portion at which may be stiffened by a laterally-projecting flange 38 extending throughout the major part of its length. At the forward end of the beam, however, there is a table portion iti projecting lateraily in the opposite direction from the flange 3t, this table to support the maximum width of tape within the capacity oi the dispenser. The beam pardon is slotted at 62 to receive the pin 2 3 and permit swinging movement of the beam about its pin is is provided in one side of is engaged by the flange 3% on the beam to limit the upward movement of the beam. Downward movement of the beam is limited by a stop pin '38. Preferably a series of sockets 2% in one'side of the casing to receive it so that the latter may be mounted in any one the casing near the lower pensed, as will be described below.

in the position to Fig. 1, parts being 2 showing the preferably made of sheet metal pivot 3%. A stop the casing which are providedthe stop Din the adhesion roller moves up, the

82 on the casing and an car It on the beam for biasing the beam in an upward direction so that normally it is held in the-fully raised position shown in Fig. l.

Mounted on the beam above and slightly spaced irom the table 40 is an adhesion roller 88. The adhesion roller is pivoted on the bearing pin 82 ilxed in the beam and is preferably provided with a ratchet portion N adapted to be engaged by a pawl 85 on a tilting bracket 88 pivoted on a pin 69 mounted on an. ear l projecting upwardly from the beam. A spring 12 holds the pawl in engagement with the ratchet teeth. The adhesion roller 60 is thus free tion (Fig. 1) except when such motion is prevented as hereinafter explained, but cannot turn in the opposite direction. A guide roller It is provided for guiding the tape it fromthe roll to the adhesion roller 80, the guide roller being pivoted upon a swinging arm 80 which is pivoted at its rear end by a pivot 82 to the casing it. A spring 84 connected to the fixed support 52 on the casing and at its other end to the arm 80 is provided for biasing the arm 80 in a clockwise direction so as to at all times urge it to move in a direction tending to lift the guide roller It away from the adhesion roller 88 except when it is constrained by the tension of the tape itself. The downward movement of the arm 80 is limited by means of a stop pin 90 mounted in the casing and engaged by an ear 92 on the arm.

The construction thus far described is substantially that of the dispenser of Krueger application, Serial Number 683,866. The novel feature or the present invention is the provision of means for positively limiting the length of tape which may be dispensed to that drawn off the roll or tape by movement of the beam 30 and adhesion roller til. In the construction shown, this is accomplished by providing means for positively locking the adhesion roller against rotation when the measured length of tape has been dispensed. For this purpose,'the arm 80 is provided with an extension lug 84 having teeth 96 which mesh with the teeth of ratchet 64 when the arm is drawn down into proximity to the adhesion roller to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

In operation. the end of the tape is drawn from the roll 20 and threaded over the guide roller 18 and under the adhesion roller 60 with its end lying on top of the table 40 with the adhesive side. of the tape facing upwardly away from the table. The position of the machine prior to operation is as shown in Fig. l. The operator new places his finger upon the upwardly exposed adhesive end of the tape over the table 4B and pushes down- This swings the beam to the downward position shown in Fig. 2. As the tape passing under the adhesion roller 60 adheres to the surface thereof and as the adhesion roller cannot rotate in a counterclockwise direction, the downward movement 01 the adhesion roller will exert a pull on the end of the tape which will unwind ihe tape from the roll 20. The car 82 on the arm 80 carrying the guide roller 18, however, engages the stop Bil in the side of the casing so that this arm and theguide roller 18 are held in the position shown in Fig. 2 and a length of tape 18a is held in stretched position between the guide roller It and the adhesion roller Hi. The operator now permits the beam and table 40 to be drawn up by the spring 80 to the position shown in Fig. 3. As guide roller 1' also moves up under the influence or spring N. thus holding the length oi tape 18a taut as shown to turn in a clockwise direc-,

A that changes within the are possible,

in-Fig. 3. The operator then pulls out the free end of the tape as shown in Fig. 4. In performing this operation he does not have to exert the force necessary to unwind the tape from the roll 20, but the only pull required is that necessary to overcome the force of the light spring 84 and the slight pull necessary to break the adhesion between the sticlry surface of the tape and the adhesion roller 59. This pull is very much less than the pull necessary to withdraw the tape from the roll 29. The force necessary to draw the tape irom the roll was provided by the downward push on the table 40 in swinging the beam and table from the-upper to the lower position.

As the downward movement of the beam and adhesion roller is limited by the pin 36, the length of tape unwound from the roll is a measured length. The length may be adjusted by placing the pin 48 in one or another of the holes 68.

To insure that no more than this measured length can be withdrawn by the operator when pulling out'the tape as shown in Fig. 4, the toothed lug 84 is provided on the arm 80.. The withdrawal of the measured length swings down the arm and brings the teeth 86 into engagement with the ratchet teeth on the adhesion roller and prevents iurther rotation of that roller so that further withdrawal of tape is positively prevented. Thus the adhesive force holding the tape in the roll 20 against withdrawal does not have to be relied upon to limit the amount of tape dispensed and there is no danger of feeding more than the desired amount in cases where a character of tape is used in which such adhesive force is not very strong or is irregular in action.

when feeding the next length of tape. the movement of the beam and table downwardly by the operator carries the adhesion roller 69 downwardly so that the adhesion roller is freed from its engagement with the teeth 96 on the arm Bil. This engagement is not re-established until the measured length of tape has been pulled out and the arm drawn downwardly by the tape to the position shown in Fig. 4.

Preferably, the stop pin 90 is so placed that there is a slight clearance between it and the ear 92 on the arm 80 when the teeth 96 are in engagement with the teeth on the adhesion roller 50. Such clearance is shown in Figs 1 and 4 and insures that the teeth can come into proper engagement with the ratchet.

As the tapeis pulled out of the machine. it is severed in any suitable manner, preferably by being drawn downwardly across a serrated severing'blade 88 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4:. The spring 50 is made strong enough to hold the .beam and table in upward position while the tape is severed. i

While I have illustrated and described in detell one preferred embodiment of my invention, 1 do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the use of such embodiment. as I realize scope of the invention and I further intend each element or instrumentality recited in any of the following claims to be understood to refer to all equivalent elements or instrumentalities for accomplishing substantially the same result in substantialy the same or equivalent manner, it being my purpose to cover my invention broadly in whatever form its principles may be utilized.

Having described my invention, what I claim is for tacky tape of the kind in layer of the roll adheres to the 1. A dispenser which the outer layer under it, comprisig a support for a supmovable support for the guide roller. means for ply roll of tape, a tape feeding member having biasing said support in a direction to cause the roll, and movable carrying means for said feedrotation of said roller when the length of tape ing member permitting movement of the same between the guide roller and adhesion roller has in a direction to draw tape from the roll and in 10 been dispensed. 4

a direction to decrease the distance from the ad- 5. A tacky tape dispenser comprising a suphesion surface to the roll so as to provide a loop port for a supply roll of tape. a beam movable of tape which may be dispensed by. movement about a pivot at one side of said tape roll, an with respect to the adhesion surface without unadhesion roller carried by said beam at the other winding additional tape from the roll, and mel.

mitting movement of the adhesion roller in a direction to move the guide roller away from the rection to draw tape from the supply roll and in adhesion roller, and means on the arm for ena reverse direction, means for preventing rotaeasing the dh i n roller and cking 1t a n tape being drawn from the supply roll when the 25 juxtaposition to the adhesion roller by the disadhesion roller is moved in a direction to draw pensing tape.

tape, and means for preventing rotation of the 6. A tacky tape dispenser comprising a supadhesion roller in the opposite direction after port for a supply roll of tape, an adhesion roller the length of tape previously drawn from time having ratchet teeth thereon, a movable supsupply roll has been dispensed. 30 port for the adhesion roller permitting bodily port for a supply roll of tape, a movable support to draw tape from the supply roll and in a reverse for the adhesive roller permitting movement of direction, a pawl carried by the movable support from the supply roll and in a reverse direction, 85 roller for preventing rotation of the adhesion the adhesion roller in a direction to draw tape and engaging the ratchet teeth on the adhesion tape has been dispensed. and the adhesion roller when the adhesion roller A tacky tape dispenser comprising a supis moved in the reverse direction and teeth carport for a supply roll of tape. an adhesion roller. fled y sai m v support p ed to be EVERETT E. sHARrE.

a guide rol er over which the tape passes be- No references cited. tween the supply roll and the adhesion roller, a 

